Karstula: population and statistics
Karstula has a population of 3,514 (2025) across 887.1 km², or 4.0 people per km². It ranks 202 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −17.7% between 2015 and 2025.
- 3,514 residents
- 887.1 km²
- 4 people/km²
- 152 m
Karstula in numbers
Key points
Among the 22 municipalities in Central Finland, Karstula ranks No. 13 by population.
Share of Swedish speakers: 0.1% in Karstula, compared with an average of 0.2% in Central Finland and 5.0% nationally.
Largest business sector: Manufacturing, with 25.6% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 44° generates about 832 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Central Finland for “Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas”.
- “Share of residential buildings heated with electricity”: lower than in 94% of municipalities.
- “Share of Swedish speakers”: lower than in 93% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 124,241 football pitches.
- Its population density is 4.7 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Kyyjärvi, 22.0 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Saarijärvi (8,763 residents), 30 km away.
Population of Karstula over time
Karstula had 4,268 residents in 2015 and 3,514 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 3,858 |
| 2021 | 3,774 |
| 2022 | 3,665 |
| 2023 | 3,625 |
| 2024 | 3,573 |
| 2025 | 3,514 |
All indicators for Karstula
Value for the municipality, then the regional average and the national median (for counts: regional and national totals). The gauge places the municipality between the lowest and highest value in the country.
Population
| Indicator | Karstula | Central Finland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 10.4% | 13.9% | 13.3% | ranked 252 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 39.7% | 25.4% | 31.2% | ranked 52 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 53.3 years | 44.6 | 48.5 | ranked 51 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.3% | ranked 222 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 2.4% | 4.2% | 3.4% | ranked 209 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Karstula | Central Finland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 2,313 no. | 164,402 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 194 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 8.3% | – | 8.2% | ranked 149 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 10.3% | – | 14.5% | ranked 223 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 64.3% | – | 64.5% | ranked 153 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 4.5% | – | 11.1% | ranked 232 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 21.6% | – | 16.9% | ranked 78 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 238.8 /1,000 inh. | 112.6 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 124 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Karstula | Central Finland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 4.8% | – | 3.9% | ranked 121 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 28.9% | – | 39.8% | ranked 284 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 3.2% | – | 5.5% | ranked 242 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 21.3% | – | 17.1% | ranked 80 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 41.8% | – | 29.1% | ranked 59 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Karstula | Central Finland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 661 no. | 28,724 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 179 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 185.0 /1,000 inh. | 104.6 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 48 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 27,874 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 222 of 302 | |
| Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies (2025) | 719 €/m² | – | 1,110 €/m² | ranked 182 of 220 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 218 per 1,000 inh. | 12,966 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 187 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 62.0 per 1,000 inh. | 47.4 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 91 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 2.0 per 1,000 inh. | 3.5 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 221 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Karstula | Central Finland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 1,247 no. | 106,247 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 184 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 12.1% | 14.4% | 10.8% | ranked 98 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 73.6% | 70.1% | 75.4% | ranked 192 of 302 |
Transport
| Indicator | Karstula | Central Finland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 621 /1,000 inh. | 489 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 48 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Karstula | Central Finland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 16.7% | 17.3% | 14.3% | ranked 67 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Karstula | Central Finland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 21.5% | 32.5% | 24.1% | ranked 219 of 302 |
Business sectors: Karstula
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Manufacturing25.6% ×2.1
- Health and social work21.2% ×1.1
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing16.8% ×6.9
- Wholesale and retail trade6.9% ×0.6
- Education5.5% ×0.7
- Construction4.3% ×0.7
- Public administration and defence3.4% ×0.7
- Professional, scientific and technical2.9% ×0.5
Sunshine and temperatures: Karstula
Where is Karstula?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Karstula?
Karstula has 3,514 residents (2025), ranking 202 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Karstula?
Karstula covers 887.1 km², with a density of 4 people per km².
Is the population of Karstula growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Karstula went from 4,268 to 3,514, a change of −17.7%.
Where is Karstula?
Karstula is in Central Finland. Latitude 62.878, longitude 24.803.
Share of residential buildings heated with electricity: what is the figure for Karstula?
In Karstula, “Share of residential buildings heated with electricity” stands at 28.9% (2025), ranking 284 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 39.8%.
Share of Swedish speakers: what is the figure for Karstula?
In Karstula, “Share of Swedish speakers” stands at 0.1% (2025), ranking 222 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 0.3%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Karstula?
In Karstula, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 44° produces about 832 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Karstula?
The nearest to Karstula are Kyyjärvi (22 km), Kannonkoski (26 km), Saarijärvi (30 km), Kivijärvi (30 km), Soini (30 km).
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